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Low Temperature Insulating State in hBN-Encapsulated Multilayer Graphene

ORAL

Abstract

Bilayer graphene is susceptible to strong electron-electron interactions at charge neutrality, leading to the possibility for spontaneous symmetry breaking and the associated opening of a gap at low temperatures, even in the absence of any external fields [1]. Recent experiments confirm this possibility for Bernal stacked graphene layers of thickness up to 8 layers [2-4], but this physics is only observed via transport in suspended devices of the highest quality. Here, we present evidence for the opening of a gap at low temperatures in multilayer graphene systems which are encapsulated in hBN. The dielectric environment of hBN not only alleviates the requirement for suspension, but also poses constraints on the nature of the interactions. Our results provide new insights into the insulating state of multilayer graphene systems, and help to facilitate their fabrication for potential applications.

[1] Y. Barlas, R. Côté, K. Nomura, A. H. MacDonald, Phys. Rev. Lett. 101, 097601 (2008).
[2] R. T. Weitz, M. T. Allen, B. E. Feldman, J. Martin, A. Yacoby, Science 330, 812–816 (2010).
[3] Y. Nam, D.-K. Ki, M. Koshino, E. McCann, A. F. Morpurgo, 2D Mater. 3, 045014 (2016).
[4] Youngwoo Nam, Dong-Keun Ki, David Soler-Delgado, Alberto F. Morpurgo, Science 362, 324-328 (2018).

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Presenters

  • Nicholas Mazzucca

    Ohio State Univ - Columbus

Authors

  • Nicholas Mazzucca

    Ohio State Univ - Columbus

  • Marc W Bockrath

    Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Ohio State Univ - Columbus

  • Chun Ning Lau

    Ohio State University, Department of Physics, The Ohio State University, Deparment of Physics, The Ohio State University, Ohio State Univ - Columbus

  • Takashi Taniguchi

    National Institute for Materials Science, National Institute for Material Science, Japan, National Institute of Material Science in Tsukuba, Kyoto Univ, Chemical Engineering, Kyoto University, Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, National Institute of Materials Science (NIMS), National Institute of Materials Science, Japan, Kyoto University

  • Kenji Watanabe

    National Institute for Materials Science, Japan, National Institute for Material Science, National Institute for Materials Science, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Research Center for Functional Materials, NIMS, nims, Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, National Institute for Materials Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan, NIMS, National Institute for Material Science - Japan, NIMS Tsukuba, National Institute for Materials Science, Namiki 1-1, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan., National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), National Institute for Materials Science,Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0047, Japan, Advanced Materials Laboratory, NIMS, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science,1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, 305-0044, Japan, National Institute of Materials Science, National Institute for Materials Science, University of Tsukuba, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan, National Institute for Material Science, Japan, National Institue for Material Science, Tsukuba, Advanced Materials Laboratory, NIMS, Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan, Advanced Matrials Lab, NIMS, National Institute for Material Science, Tsukuba, Japan, National institute for materials science, NIMS-Tsukuba, NIMS, Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, Namiki Tsukuba Ibaraki, Japan, NIRM, Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan, NIMS Japan, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan, Research Center for Functional Materials, National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan, Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute of Materials Science, Advanced Materials Laboratory, National Institute for Materials Science 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, 305-0044, Japan, National Institute of Material Science, 1-1 Namiki, Tsukuba 305-0044, Japan, National Institute for Material Science (Japan), Physics, NIMS, National Institute of Materials Science, Japan, National Institute of Materials Science (NIMS), National Institute of Materials Science, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0044, Japan, NIMS - Tsukuba